This invention relates to a novel device, being a combined gas inlet and cold finger condenser suitable for use in connection with chemical laboratory apparatus.
Chemical apparatus for performing laboratory chemical reactions is becoming increasingly complex as the number of functions that laboratory apparatus is required to perform increases. Multi-necked vessels enable a multitude of devices e.g. stirrers, condensers, gas inlets to be connected to the vessel. but at the cost of increased complexity and crowding of the devices. Numerous types of connector for laboratory apparatus such as flasks, reaction vessels etc. are known from the literature of classical chemical synthesis, and the patent literature also discloses some connectors of this general type. For example U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,806, U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,523 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,098,800 disclose various types of condensers and distillation apparatus.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved device which can engage with a standard neck fitting, e.g. a ground glass neck connection, of a laboratory vessel and by means of which a number of laboratory operations can be performed. In particular it is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus of this type which is advantageous for use in automated laboratory reactors, e.g. inter alia having the advantages of compactness, versatility and use in a multiplicity of functions.
According to this invention an apparatus is provided being a combined condenser and vessel connector parn, comprising:
a tubular conduit extending from an upper open end to a lower open end, with at least one inlet I outlet adjacent the upper end of the conduit,
a condenser in the form of a jacket around the lower part of the conduit and extending upwardly toward the upper end of the conduit, the upper part of the condenser being provided with a cooling fluid inlet and outlet,
an upper part of the jacket, between the cooling fluid inlet and outlet and the lower end, being formed into or provided with a connector to enable the apparatus to be mated with a corresponding matin, connector on the mouth of a vessel to thereby enable the apparatus to be sealingly connected with the vessel with at least part of the jacket extending into the vessel.
In this description the terms xe2x80x9cupperxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9clowerxe2x80x9d and derived terms are used relative to the normal in-use orientation of a vessel to which the apparatus is mated, with the mouth of the vessel upward.
In an alternative description the invention provides an apparatus comprising:
a condenser in the form of a conduit having an upper open end and a lower open end, at least part of the conduit being surrounded by a jacket suitable for the containment and flow therethrough of a cooling fluid, the jacket being provided with an inlet and an outlet for said cooling fluid,
a part of said jacket between the inlet or outlet and the lower open end of the conduit being formed into or provided with a connector to enable the apparatus to be mated with a corresponding mating connector on the mouth of a vessel to thereby enable the apparatus to be sealingly connected with the vessel,
an upper part of the conduit being provided with at least one inlet and outlet in communication with the conduit by means of which substances may be introduced or removed from a vessel with which the apparatus is sealingly mated.
Preferably in this embodiment too at least part of the jacket extends into the vessel when the apparatus is mated with the vessel.
In another alternative description this invention provides an apparatus comprising:
a tubular conduit extending from an upper open end to a lower open end,
a condenser in the form of a jacket around the conduit, the condenser being provided with a cooling fluid inlet and outlet,
part of the jacket, between the cooling fluid inlet or outlet and the lower end, being formed into or provided with a connector to enable the apparatus to be mated with a corresponding mating connector on the mouth of a vessel to thereby enable the apparatus to be sealingly connected with the vessel with at least part of the jacket extending into the vessel.